Alex liked the show...

Saturday night, around 2 in the morning, I was in suit and tie, leaning over the jukebox at The Town Hall Pub, trying to find the damned "Velvet Underground" CD so that I could play "Rock and Roll", when somebody tapped me on the shoulder.

It was this young guy. Around 24 or 25, I guess. Clean-shaven. Thin. A nice lookign kid.

"Hey, um, I don't normally do this...but I was at the show and I just wanted to say that I really enjoyed it." and he stuck out his hand to shake hands and I shook his back. I recognized him from the "Sickest Stories" from that night. "My name is Alex."

"Oh hey, Hi Alex. I remember you from the show. You are buddies with the military guy, right?" I said. I'd comped the military guy. Soldiers don't pay to get into my show. It's the least I can do for them, to apologize for our shit-ass government, throwing them at... well you get the idea, "Thanks a bunch, man. I really appreciate it."

"It was like we were just in a bar somewhere, hanging out with our buddies. I felt like I knew all of you guys and could just...you know...tell stories and have a drink with you. Like we were just friends hanging out, you know?"

"Oh sure. That's what we want it to feel like."

"I'm only in town for the weekend. Normally, I live in Memphis, TN and I'm in visiting a friend and we heard about your show and came out and really had a great time. It was TOTALLY worth ten bucks!"

"If you don't mind me asking, how did you hear about the show?" I asked him. (My Producer-Monkey Mind kicking in gear, trying to learn about marketing materials effectiveness.)

"Oh, my friend read about it in the newspaper, um... Not the Reader. The other one." he offered helpfully.

"Time Out?"

"Sure. That's the one." he said. I had to admit that I didn't know that we were listed in there. That's one of the magazines that I haven't bothered harassing about the show, yet.

"Thanks, Alex. Always helpful to know how folks hear about the show."

"Sure. Sure. Glad to help. So thanks for the show, man. I just really enjoyed it."

"No, Thank You, Alex. Thank you." And we shook hands again and he went back to his buddies and I watched him and I guess he told them about our conversation and they all seemed genuinely pleased about the whole thing.

I do so many shows for audience members that I rarely see again. Maybe it's the quality of the shows or of my performance, but I don't often get feedback like that. A guy, just a guy, who had so much fun and felt that he knew us so well afterwards, that he just wanted to say "hi". That's a huge gift for him to give me. Breaking through the normal social barriers to connect with someone else.

I like that. Not just for the little bit of ego boost, but because it's a reminder that I'm not a lone voice shouting into a void. People hear and see what I say and they enjoy it. They're entertained. They get something for the money that they pay us. An live theater experience. Entertained or horrified, it's all the same. A visceral experience that movies and tv don't provide.

Alex liked the show and he was kind enough to seek me out afterwards and let me know it. I really appreciated it.